Fecal microbiota transplantation holds the secret to youth

Mech Ageing Dev. 2023 Jun:212:111823. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111823. Epub 2023 May 14.

Abstract

Aging shows itself not just at the cellular level, with shortened telomeres and cell cycle arrest, but also at the organ and organismal level, with diminished brainpower, dry eyes, intestinal inflammation, muscular atrophy, wrinkles, etc. When the gut microbiota, often called the "virtual organ of the host," fails to function normally, it can lead to a cascade of health problems including, but not limited to, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, metabolic liver disease, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and even neurological disorders. An effective strategy for restoring healthy gut bacteria is fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). It can reverse the effects of aging on the digestive system, the brain, and the vision by transplanting the functional bacteria found in the excrement of healthy individuals into the gut tracts of patients. This paves the way for future research into using the microbiome as a therapeutic target for disorders associated with aging.

Keywords: Aging; Ecological balance; Fecal microbiota transplantation; Gut microbiome; Recipient and donor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bacteria
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2*
  • Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Humans
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* / microbiology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* / therapy
  • Metabolic Diseases*
  • Microbiota*